Britain to Ban Social Media for Under-16s and Restrict Gaming Platforms

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday that Britain will ban social media sites for under-16s and impose restrictions on gaming and live-streaming platforms. Starmer said the measures would give children back their childhood. "It is clear to me a full ban is the right choice," he told reporters.

The policy will cover YouTube, Facebook and X. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will remain outside the ban. Services designed for children and education, including YouTube Kids, Lego Play and Google Classroom, will also be unaffected.

Britain will go further than Australia by adding controls on gaming platforms. The government will also consider overnight curfews and curbs on infinite scrolling for under-18s. New regulations underpinning the ban are due by the end of the year.

A ban could be in place as soon as next spring. The ban will likely require age checks to be expanded to all users. Regulator Ofcom has already introduced age checks for porn sites and said it is ready to work on expanding them.

Britain has previously urged or forced tech firms to adapt their algorithms and to prevent children from circulating nude images taken on mobile phones. YouTube said it had invested in expert-led, age-appropriate experiences and default protections for teens for over a decade. A spokesperson added that YouTube is a vital resource for young people, educators and parents.

Snapchat said an outright ban would disconnect teens from private messaging between friends and family that accounted for the majority of time spent on its service. The company said the scope of the ban should be reviewed. Meta said the experience in Australia suggested that bans risked isolating teens from online communities and driving them to unregulated alternatives that lacked protections and parental controls.